Entree: French Guiana – Southern Culinary Region – Civet de Lièvre (Traditional slow-braised hare stew in red wine with bacon, mushrooms, and aromatic vegetables)

Serving Size: 4

Approximate Time

Prep 45 min

Cook 3 hrs

Additional 12 hrs

Total 15 hrs 45 min

Ingredients

- 1 whole hare, jointed, approx. 3 lb (1.4 kg) usable meat
- 3 1/8 cups (750 ml) dry red wine
- 4 oz (115 g) lardons or bacon, chopped
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) olive oil
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) unsalted butter
- 2 large shallots, finely chopped, about 3 oz (85 g)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 carrots, peeled and diced, about 1 cup (130 g)
- 2 celery stalks, diced, about 1 cup (100 g)
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) tomato paste
- 8 oz (225 g) cremini or button mushrooms, halved or quartered
- 2 cups (480 ml) brown stock or beef stock
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) cognac or brandy
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp (5 g) crushed juniper berries
- 2 tsp (2 g) fresh thyme leaves or 1 tsp (1 g) dried thyme
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) hare blood, reserved and lightly whipped, optional
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Instructions

1. Marinate and brown: Combine the hare pieces with the red wine, 1 chopped shallot, 1 crushed garlic clove, 1 carrot piece, 1 celery stalk, a bay leaf and a few sprigs of thyme in a nonreactive bowl or sealed container and refrigerate overnight. Drain the hare, reserving the marinade. Pat the meat dry, season with salt and pepper. In a heavy Dutch oven, heat the olive oil and 2 tbsp butter over medium-high heat. Add the lardons and cook until browned; remove and set aside. Brown the hare in batches until well caramelized; remove and set aside.
2. Braise and finish: Reduce heat to medium, add remaining butter, the remaining shallot, garlic, diced carrot and celery and sweat until soft. Stir in tomato paste, cook 1 minute, then deglaze with cognac. Add the reserved marinade (strained), stock, juniper berries, thyme and bay leaves and return the hare and lardons to the pot. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook gently until the hare is tender, about 2 to 3 hours. In the last 20 minutes add mushrooms. If using, temper the reserved blood with a little warm braising liquid and stir in off heat to thicken and enrich the sauce (do not boil after adding blood). Adjust seasoning, sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve with potatoes, root vegetables, or rice.